ښه شپه
šəpa də xəyr
The English phrase "goodnight" is translated into Pashto as ښه شپه (šəpa də xəyr).
ښه شپه is a phrase used to wish someone a good night's sleep before they go to bed or leave for the night.
How do you pronounce it?
šəpa də xəyr
Did you know?
- The word شپه meaning 'night' shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'sleep'. Both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷséps.
- While ښه شپه is a literal translation of 'good night', a Pashto speaker might more traditionally wish someone 'may your night be full of blessings' using the word خیر (khair).
- Depending on the dialect, such as in Kandahari Pashto, the pronunciation of the consonants in ښه can shift significantly compared to the Eastern dialects.
Example conversation
Zala and Ahmad are saying goodbye for the night at home.
- زالا Zalaزه اوس ځم، ښه شپه احمد.Ze os zam, kha shpa Ahmad.I am going now, goodnight Ahmad.
- احمد Ahmedښه شپه، زالا.Kha shpa, Zala.Goodnight, Zala.
- زالا Zalaسبا به سره ووینو.Saba ba sara wowino.We will see each other tomorrow.
- احمد Ahmedهو، په خیره لاړه.Ho, pa khayra lara.Yes, go in peace.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries شپه, ښه, CC BY-SA 4.0.
